Wisdom of dentist who kept faith in County

MANFULLY trying to keep body and soul together and appear half-respectable after an extended stay in this troubled world, it is comforting to find that those who help one along the way share a love of sport.

MANFULLY trying to keep body and soul together and appear half-respectable after an extended stay in this troubled world, it is comforting to find that those who help one along the way share a love of sport.

My doctor is a mad City fan and, before my gout and arthritic knee are discussed, the dire possibility of relegation has to be examined.

My barber is a rugby fanatic and I feared for the tips of my ears as he pronounced vehemently on the recent England debacle against Ireland at Croke Park.

Boxing is the preoccupation of my physiotherapist and he has convinced me that, although 11 stones wringing wet, he would flatten Audley Harrison inside two rounds. What's more, I believe him.

If I employed an acupuncturist, he would naturally be heavily into darts and The Power.

My dentist is somewhat different - he is a complete romantic. In other words, he supports Stockport County.

Now that is not an easy burden to carry through life and requires a strong heart, eternal optimism, just a hint of masochism and an immunity to ridicule from 70-odd thousand Reds and 40-odd thousand Blues.

Having cultivated an affection for County during a decade covering their fortunes under Danny Bergara, Dave Jones and Gary Megson, I witnessed some of their finest moments, which made it doubly sad to read of their rapid decline over the past few seasons.

While reclining in the chair of pain in the autumn I winced after foolishly suggesting that County looked destined finally to drop out of the Football League this term.

No worries. No retribution was, forgive me, extracted as the guardian of my molars, oddly from the North East not Stockport, is a consummate professional and one of the calmest, most philosophical soccer fans on earth.

He forecast that the pending appointment of Jim Gannon as manager would change everything.

How right he was.

The genial Irishman, an elegant player when I was a regular Friday night observer at Edgeley Park, has exceeded everyone's expectations and County's magnificent achievement on Saturday of completing a record nine victories without conceding a goal was sadly almost overlooked by the national media.

All the talk now is of promotion and most of us would be delighted if it was achieved.

Particularly as I have been promised a free clean and polish if that goal is fulfilled.